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HomeMy WebLinkAbout5C - Well No. 10 Adv. For Bids MEETING DATE: AGENDA #: PREPARED BY: AGENDA ITEM: DISCUSSION: 16200 Eagle Creek Avenue S.E. Prior Lake, MN 55372-1714 CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT AUGUST 7, 2006 5C STEVE ALBRECHT, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION APPROVING PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS AND AUTHORIZING ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS FOR WELL NO.1 0 Introduction The purpose of this agenda item is for the City Council to approve plans and specifications and authorize advertisement for bids for construction of Well No. 10. Historv The City of Prior lake currently operates five municipal wells to provide water to the community. In fall 2005 the City began construction of Wells 8 and 9. Well 8 is currently being connected to the system and should be producing water before the end of August. Wells 1 and 2 have been abandoned and are no longer used by the City. The City pumped approximately 705,000,000 gallons of water in 2005. In order to continue to meet community demands, Well No. 10 is needed to provide adequate water supply for on-going development within the City. The costs for this project are paid by the Trunk Reserve Funds and not through taxes. The City of Prior Lake pumps the majority of our water from the Jordan Aquifer. In northern Scott County the Jordan Aquifer is linked to the Savage Fen. The Savage Fen is a Calcareous Fen or wetland that has very unique plant species as it is fed by ground water from the Jordan Aquifer. For this reason the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has implemented strict policies regarding withdrawal of water from this aquifer in northern Scott County. The City of Prior Lake is regulated by these rules and must complete a detailed ground water modeling to demonstrate that proposed future wells will not impact the fen negatively. In fall 2005 City Staff met with DNR staff regarding future wells in Prior Lake. It was determined that prior to construction of Well No. 10 or any future wells by the City that the City will need to provide detailed groundwater modeling and pumping test information to the DNR. In spring 2006 the DNR agreed to allow the City to construct Well NO.1 0 as part of the pumping test as long as test wells were also developed as part of the project. This action gives the City a needed well in advance of the test which is a significant concession by DNR staff. Current Circumstances As part of the pump test and to meet future water demands for the City Well No. 10 is needed. The pump test is scheduled for February 2007 and construction on Well No. 10 will need to begin by October 2006. For Well No. www.cityofpriorlake.com Phone 952.447.4230 / Fax 952.447.4245 10 the City will be specifying rotary drill construction, which is faster but more expensive than the conventional cable tool method. The primary reason for using this method is that wells can be drilled in about 2 months. Previously the City has used a cable tool method which can take from 7-18 months depending on construction issues. Specifying the cable tool method usually results in more bids as more contractors have this equipment. The drawback is schedule; as the City has seen with Wells 8 and 9 the delays in construction have caused water supply issues and CIP scheduling issues. The inability of drillers to meet completion dates using this method is well known and not permissible in some situations. Well No. 10 is needed in a timely manner for the pumping test next February. If the test can not be completed next February the DNR may make the City wait another year to complete this work. ISSUES: Well No. 10 is needed for the pumping test in February and to meet future water demands. FINANCIAL IMPACT: The City has allocated a total of $1,735,000 in the 2006 and 2007 Capital Improvement Programs (CIP) for Well No. 10. The well and well house are expected to cost $1,400,000. The balance of the funding is needed for the test wells, engineering services and pump test required for this well. The proposed pumping tests should not need to be repeated in the future as it is anticipated that a long term well agreement will be reached with the DNR based on the Well No. 10 tests. Because this well and the required studies are needed for future development this project is funded from the Trunk Reserve Fund. The City currently collects $5,500.00Iacre from developers for construction of water system improvements needed due to development. The cost of Well No. 10 will be funded solely by the money collected from new developments and will not receive any funding from the general fund tax levy. The funding for Well No. 10 is currently available in the Trunk Reserve Fund. ALTERNATIVES: 1. Approve a resolution authorizing advertisement for bids for construction of Well No. 10. 2. Table this agenda item for a specific reason. 3. Deny this agenda item for a specific reason and provide staff with direction. RECOMMENDED MOTION: Alternative # 1. 16200 Eagle Creek Avenue S.E. Prior Lake, MN 55372-1714 RESOLUTION 06-xx Motion By: Second By: WHEREAS, The City Council approved the pump test for Well No. 10 on January 17, 2006; and WHEREAS, The City Council approved preparation of plans and specifications for Well No. 10 on June 26, 2006; and WHEREAS, Well No. 10 is needed by February 2007 for the pump test and will be developed using the rotary drill construction method; and WHEREAS, Funding for this project is available in the Trunk Reserve Fund; NOW THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF PRIOR LAKE, MINNESOTA as follows: 1. The recitals set forth above are incorporated herein. 2. Staff is authorized to advertise for bids for the construction of Well No. 10 using the rotary drill construction method. PASSED AND ADOPTED THIS 7TH DAY OF AUGUST 2006. YES NO I Haugen I Dornbush I Erickson I LeMair I Millar Haugen Dornbush Erickson LeMair Millar Frank Boyles, City Manager www.cityofpriorlake.com Phone 952.447.4230 / Fax 952.447.4245